Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica"); Overtures [SACD]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Okay, I agree that a "SACD Only" CD should be clearly marked as "hybrids" vastly outnumber them. (One must wonder why all SACD recordings in print are not hybrids simply to avoid this.) That said, this is a performance not to be missed. Szell in his prime ran one of those almost perfect American orchestral machines that one could also hear in Boston (sometimes) or Chicago. Szell did some notable Beethoven but his Erocia has got to be at or near the top. Although done a generation before the Norrington, Gardiner and company, this performance has an almost manic drive played with extraordinary professionalism. This is a must recording for all Beethoven or Szell junkies. If you don't have SACD, try to find an earlier CD of the same work which should be available.

I have not heard this recording, but the bad rating given by another here is unfair. The problem is that the buyer did not beware. SACD recordings come in three flavors (actually two flavors with sometimes a sub-flavor). SACD only, which is what this one is, that can only be played on an SACD player. It states that clearly on the packaging, although I agree that Amazon should indicate that in their advertising. The second is a hybrid which contains both standard CD and SACD layers on the disk and can be played on both types of players, although you can only get SACD on an SACD player, of course. The sub-type is the latter with also a two-channel SACD layer and is the least common type. All of them should be hybrid, in my opinion, and most are, but not all. Do not take the other rating as gospel.

For those of you who may not have paid attention to the note 'SACD' on this edition, and to most of us who see 'Audio CD' on the main list and think that it is a better type of recording.... beware! IF you do go to 'more about this product' you'll find that you need an entirely new CD player in order to hear it.

Not only that, but it cannot be returned once opened.

My suggestion to Amazon is that they make a note-- in heavy type-- of this fact, and perhaps even explain what a 'Super Audio CD' is, and what it entails!